Right
by Cynthia03
Summary: Prompt on tumblr: Neal doesn't die but CS ends up together anyways.


**Prompt given on tumblr: Neal doesn't die but CS still end up together.**

 **If you like Neal or are a SwanFire shipper, do not proceed.**

She had finally agreed to go on a date with Neal.

How could she refuse? He popped the question again in front of her parents and Henry, all of them staring at her eagerly with huge hopeful smiles on their faces and Henry muttering a silent "Please, mom, please" with his big brown eyes.

The moment she said "okay", Henry leapt onto her, embracing her in a bone crushing hug and Emma could definitely handle one date for this.

/

Emma wore a tight black dress, and let her blond curls flow down her back. Her mother took pictures while her father offered her a smile. Neal showed up wearing some decent pants and a shirt, brushing Henry's hair as they both departed for their date at Granny's.

They talked about their past. Neal apologizing for abandoning her and blaming that August talked him into it. He later went on to apologize for never coming back for her cause he was scared that she wouldn't forgive him, cause he never forgave himself. After Emma could no longer tolerate the victim blaming she spurt out, "Your father had nothing to do with your decision right?"

"What?" he asked, frown lines marring his forehead.

"I just don't understand that if it was my destiny to break the curse, I would've eventually broken the curse someway or the other irregardless of whether we were together or not. I mean, isn't that what destiny is? That no matter what, the thing that is supposed to happen, will happen?" Emma said, tilting her head in challenge.

"Emma, I don't understand. Since when do you believe in destiny?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"I think Neal, that you were afraid" she seethed, "Afraid that if I ever broke the curse, you'd have to face your father. So instead of having the courage to deal with your daddy issues, you decided to let me take the fall for your crimes and go to jail"

He laughed.

"Come on Ems! You know that's not true. See it all works out! If Henry hadn't been adopted by Regina, you would've never come here" he grinned, continuing on to his ridiculous theories of why it was essential for him to leave her. August told him so.

Emma drifted off, shutting his words down as it just ignited a rage within her.

They ate in silence - Neal worried about which conversation topic to pick as to not offend Emma and have her blaming him for things that were definitely _not_ in his control. Once Neal handed Ruby the dollar bills, with Ruby giving a fake smile to him and an eyebrow raise to Emma, he leaned in, "So, your place or mine?"

"What?" Emma snapped, hoping to God he didn't mean what he just said, and take this chance to say something else.

"I think my place would be better" he aligned his lips to hers, "Your parents and Henry are there"

"Neal, I'm not having sex with you" Emma stated, pulling back from him and sighing in relief when he leaned back to his original position with a frown on his face.

"What do you mean? Come on Ems, it's not like we haven't done it" he smirked, "We have a kid for fucks sake"

"Good night Neal" Emma stood up, flinching from his words as he so recklessly brings up Henry, ignoring the circumstances in which she became pregnant and delivered the baby and finally giving him up without even holding him.

"Alright, aright, let me walk you home at least" Neal said, raising his hands up in defeat.

/

He kissed her.

And she felt a rushing sense of all those emotions she buried deep down when she was seventeen. The hope of a new home, the feeling of love and warmth and the satisfaction that she finally found someone who cared. But there was also an unpleasant feeling at the pit of her belly – it should have been desire, but it was something ugly. Something making her uncomfortable and a bit mad.

When he left, she felt like a thief again.

It didn't feel right.

/

Henry popped in the question next time, two days later as he sat opposite Neal and Emma in a booth at Granny's during lunch.

Carrying out his son's request, Neal asked her out again, and Henry lit up like Christmas and for that smile Emma would do anything.

A leather clad figure walked past them, flask of rum in one hand, and a hooked arm around Tink's shoulder as they both laughed. Catching Neal's eye, Tink stopped, "Hey Bae"

"Hey Tink" Neal responded and noticing the pirate, brought his arm around Emma's shoulders, "Hook"

"Bae" Killian replied with a cheeky grin, and stared at Neal's arm around Emma for a second too long as his jaw clenched.

"Swan" Killian whispered, without meeting her eyes. _Swan_. Emma hadn't seen him since the day a false screaming had sent them all down to the church where a nun had fallen down the stairs and sprained her ankle. The last time they ever interacted was when she shot him a glare at his saucy, "Perhaps" on her jealousy over him and Tink doing something.

"How are you, lad?" Hook asked Henry, who replied politely, slightly awed as he was actually talking to Captain Hook, the ruthless captain of the seven deadly seas.

"Emma and I are going out tonight, you guys wanna join for a double date?" Neal asked, placing a hand on Emma's knee which she hastily removed.

"Oh no, it's fine" Tink replied, looking between Emma and Killian who were staring at each other. If she could tell by expressions, the blond in front of her was fuming with jealousy. What kind of a friend and fairy would she be if she didn't help out a friend find his love? So, she tightened her arm around Killian's waist and brought her other hand to his chest, tugging slightly on his charms as Killian gave her a quizzical look.

"We'd rather be alone, if you know what I mean" she said, adding a wink for good measure. "Oh sorry" she muttered, remembering Henry's presence.

They left with greetings and Neal was quickly engrossed with talking to Henry about New York as Emma was left bothered and jealous and slightly annoyed by a certain pirate.

/

Throughout the next two weeks, there had been three dates – Emma still refusing to let Neal go any further than a kiss. It still always left an unpleasant feeling in her belly, but Emma figured one day it would fade. Henry was really happy, spending more and more time with Neal and Emma and that's all that mattered.

But it didn't feel right.

Emma usually saw Hook at Granny's – either with Tink, drinking with the dwarves, or forming a strange bond with the widow Lucas as they both talked in hushed tones, followed by smirks.

She was surprised when she found her father and him sharing a pitcher of beer as they talked about something along the lines of a cunning thief brother and a bloody stubborn and honorary brother.

She even once found him in the library, a book somehow settled in his hand and hook as he conversed quite passionately with Belle about a certain character's love interest. (Emma was worried that if Gold saw this, Hook was gonna end up in the hospital - although it would give her an excuse to talk to him since she's the sheriff).

/

Emma was the one who suggested a beach picnic with the Charmings, Regina, Belle and Neal as they were all one twisted family who needed to bond a bit. At the end of the day, Neal had a tiny outburst as Regina kept sassying Neal all throughout and addressing him as "Person".

By the end of the day, Regina had warned Miss Swan to tell Neal to get his shit together and try to work out this weird family thing they have between them.

/

It took Snow three dates and one family picnic to decide to have a talk with her daughter.

"Emma do you still have feelings for Neal?" Snow asked, settling beside her daughter on the couch, handing her a hot cocoa and sipping her own.

Emma looked at her mother's face, her eyes so kind and worried, and sighed. _I need to tell someone_ she thought as she blurted out, "He was my first and honestly only love, but I don't, I can't be with him"

"Then why did you agree for a fourth date?"

"Henry" Emma admitted, "It makes him so happy, I don't want to disappoint him"

"Emma as much as Henry would love for his parents to be together, it's not right for two people who don't make each other happy to be together" Snow smiled kindly as she patted Emma's hand, "Follow your heart Emma"

"I know mom, you're right" Emma nodded.

/

She was looking for any way to break this news to Henry. She knew after her first date with Neal that this wasn't going to work out. She was still hurt and angry and couldn't see any sort of happy ending with Neal. His touch burned her in a bad way, and made her stomach clench in knots in uneasiness.

It didn't feel right.

Emma took Henry to his castle and sat beside him, "Henry, I need to talk to you"

"Is this about my dad?" Henry interrupted, staring at the ground below.

"Yes" Emma nodded, smiling sadly as he was just so happy. And she was going to take away the reason for it.

"You don't want to be with him?" Henry asked and noticing Emma's stunned silence continued, "It's okay. I figured it out. You both don't give off the True Love vibe like Mary Margaret and Grandpa do. Plus, I miss your smiles mom"

Without warning, tears brimmed Emma's eyes and she put an arm around her son. So young, yet so intelligent. He really did have the heart of the truest believer.

/

As easily and as nicely the Charmings and Henry took the news, Neal did not. He yelled at her for a minute – yelling at how inconsiderate and selfish she could be to have Henry grow up without his parents together, how she could not want him after he fell into a portal trying to save her, and all the shit he went through to get to her in Neverland from the Enchanted Forest.

Emma snapped. Finally.

She yelled back at him, her voice growing hoarse and her eyes filling with such a rage she could see the discomfort in Neal's stance.

She let it all out.

How she thought he was a selfish coward for letting her go to jail for his crimes, for yelling at her after they met ten years later, for laughing at her heartbreak, for not calling Henry out on his rudeness, for telling her that the one thing she was proud of and believed in - her superpower - was nothing, for shoving his relationship with Tamara in her face and painting her as a jealous ex, and lastly for thinking she should be with him just cause they have a son together.

Neal left without another word to her and Emma had to take a few deep breaths to calm her anger and then a few shots.

/

The news of the Savior and the Dark One's son's broken relationship spread like fire as soon as Leroy heard a tipsy Sheriff spilling Regina all the details.

Emma had waited for him to show up. She imagined if he would be all smirks and cheeky grins and make her roll her eyes with his innuendo filled speech, or if he would be soft, caring, and loving with his deep blue eyes and little smiles.

But he never came.

Emma caught glimpses of his dark long pirate coat all around the town and heard from Belle that he used to show up at library every morning. She heard from Ruby he showed up every morning to buy two coffees at Granny's. And lastly from Leroy that he saw him hanging around with the green fairy quite a few times.

It didn't take long for Emma to piece one and one together. Two coffees and hanging around with the green fairy and the way she always clings onto him whenever Emma spots them: Hook and Tink were definitely doing something. Her question a few weeks ago, "Wait, were you two" is justified; they _were_ doing something and they now _are_ doing something.

It was too late; Emma hesitated too long. He moved on.

Of course he would move on. The man had practically laid out his heart to her in Neverland and Emma walked right on it by going out with Neal.

But he had promised her fun.

/

A week passed before she sought _him_ out.

He was at the docks, nursing his flask of rum as the wind ruffled his dark hair and his eyes gazed towards the waters longingly. The Jolly was parked in the front corner of where he sat on a bench.

Emma was thankful that no one was at the docks, or even out in the town since there was a thunderstorm boots clicked on the wood near the docks making Hook snap his eyes to the blond making her way to his bench.

"Swan" he breathed, confused.

Emma sat beside him and turned towards him, "Where's the fun, Hook?"

"Pardon me, love. I'm afraid I don't quite understand" he mumbled, his eyebrows twitching together as his eyes searched her face for any sign of what she was doing here.

"In Neverland, you promised me that the fun would begin once we saved Henry. You vowed to win my heart Hook! But all you've been doing is bonding with everyone but me, and sleeping around with Tinkerbelle" Emma snapped, trying to suppress her anger.

Hook blinked a couple of times and then diverted his gaze towards the sea again.

"I told Bae that I would back-off" he said, still gazing at the sea, "That I would let you and him have a fair chance without me standing in the way – for the sake of Henry"

"That's why I even went out with Neal" Emma confessed, rubbing her palms to her temple, "I wanted to make this work for Henry"

Killian looked at her, "You didn't want to be with him?"

"God no" Emma spurt out, "I loved him and I'll probably always love him even though now I realize he's an ass; but I'm not _in love_ with him"

Emma moved closer to Hook, "He's not the one I wanted to go on a date with" she placed her hand on his, "I was waiting for a certain someone to try to win my heart because I think he's already half-way there"

Killian smiled brightly, flashing his dimples and scratching the back of his ear. "Also, Swan, I'm not "sleeping around" with Tink. She's just a friend. I have had eyes for another blonde for quite some time now. Although, all she ever does is yells at me or runs away"

"Glad to hear" Emma sighed in relief, however a small part of her knew there was nothing going on. It was just jealousy. The two coffees had to be for him and Belle as they spent the mornings together in the library.

"Will you go out with me Emma?" he asked, his eyes piercing hers.

"I would love to" Emma replied just as rain started pouring and Killian took her hand and led her towards the Jolly Roger.

/

This time Emma wore a pink dress and tied up her blond curls. Killian arrived, stunning everyone with black pants, navy shirt and leather jacket, muttering something about "time to dress the par of this world". He brought her a rose and she blushed - from the sinful way he looked in this world's clothes and from the old-school gesture.

Snow took pictures again and David asked if he should drive them, earning a smack on the shoulder from his wife. Killian winked at Snow and reassured David that his daughter couldn't be in any better hand and hook and David rolled his eyes.

/

Killian took her to an Italian restaurant that even she didn't know existed. He was a complete gentleman – pulling out her chair, offering his arm, draping his jacket over her when they finally stepped outside for a late night walk along the docks.

Finally, finally, finally he kissed her.

And Emma felt all the heated and deep emotions since Neverland that she pushed down, roar with a new sense of urgency. The lingering looks and doey eyes, their scorching touches. The hotness of their kiss in Neverland, the pink tinge of his cheeks, the humid air clogging their thoughts whenever they were around each other and the way that single moment – when Emma pulled him by his lapels and crushed him to her – had burst out a puddle of emotions within the two. His heartfelt confession, his vow, sincere smiles, and encouraging words.

The longing of these past few weeks (more like since the damn beanstalk).

They poured all of this in their kiss – desperate and needy but soft and caring.

This time there was a pleasant feeling at the pit of her belly – it was desire, burning Emma's center and making her feel as if she would explode.

When he left, Emma felt like the Savior who had brought back the happy endings.

It felt right.

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